Chapter 72 - New Horizons and Problems
The long winter had finally ended, and the snow that had piled up had long since melted away. The arrival of true spring stirred a spirit of new challenges.
In our Kikyo Society, Lily is the one leading the charge. She had used her considerable personal funds to purchase land in a remote area northeast of Exembra, a vast, empty place. She planned to use it as an experimental ground, combining her hobbies with practical benefits.
It seemed interesting, so I decided to provide some financial support as well. "Thank you so much. This will cover the cost of building the enclosure," Lily said, relieved.
Unfortunately, the funds had been drained by the land purchase, and she couldn’t do much more. But Lily is resourceful and will surely gather the necessary materials for her experiments soon. She plans to continue searching for more suitable sites.
Rosabel-san and Colette-san started actively recruiting apprentices. They began by looking for children in the refugee districts and slums who had been overlooked by the Healer Guild. They even brought out a magic tool to test for healing magic aptitude. It was an interesting gadget, but its use was quite limited, focusing only on healing magic.
People living in rural areas who had healing magic aptitude often didn’t join the Healer Guild unless they moved to the city. So, Rosabel-san and Colette-san aimed to secure these talents before they were claimed by others.
They preferred young, independent children for apprenticeship, given the dangers involved. After several days of combing through the areas, they managed to find two children with healing magic aptitude.
For those who had families or were too young, they informed them of their talents and encouraged them to join the Healer Guild. It was a thoughtful approach.
If the chosen children joined the Kikyo Society, they would receive the same treatment as other apprentices, but Rosabel-san and Colette-san would take full responsibility for their care. They would provide basic training and lectures, with the pace left to the discretion of their mentors.
"Any updates on the new apprentices?"
"We’ll handle it, don’t worry. We’ll make even the most talentless ones useful," Rosabel-san confidently replied.
The new recruits were young and could only use basic seventh-level healing magic, which would be valuable in most places. However, in the Kikyo Society, they were considered non-combatants. Their future growth was something to look forward to, and the search for more apprentices would continue.
Frederica, after appraising the Magic-Sealing Bracelet, became deeply interested in magical artifact appraisal. She even became a full-fledged magical artifact enthusiast, not just collecting and admiring them but also researching and modifying them. While she didn’t create new artifacts from scratch, she showed me some of her magical modifications.
She wasn’t yet capable of complex modifications, but she consistently used appraisal magic during her work, which I believe would help improve her magical abilities.
I found her hobby intriguing and was willing to assist her with providing magical artifacts. When others in the Kikyo Society learned of her interest, many others, both regular members and apprentices, as well as some of the higher-ups, became enthusiastic.
After their usual activities or training, they would gather like a club, studying and modifying the magical artifacts they brought. "Yukari, do you have any other magical artifacts?"
"Come on, I don’t buy magical artifacts every day, so I don’t have many," she replied, sounding a bit exasperated.
Other members were getting involved in various projects as well. Some placed orders for motorcycles at Dominic Cruel Workshop, while others were developing new magic spells or combining their hobbies with practical benefits. Many, like Frederica, were now showing an interest in research as well as play.
Charlotte devoted her free time to researching sigil magic, while Mary and Albert, along with most of the Combat Unit, were actively studying combat techniques. The Secretariat Unit was also busy with new business plans and improving existing operations.
It was inspiring to see everyone so engaged and active. Of course, there were those who spent their time playing around or being lazy, but that was fine. In a long life, there would always be times to get busy.
The Kikyo Society was also launching new challenges. Our ultimate goal was to build a comprehensive facility, including a luxury hotel for the upper class. However, lacking the necessary expertise, we would start with budget lodging. It was easier to find people with experience in running budget accommodations, especially among the refugees, and it was simpler to hire staff for cooking and cleaning.
The demand for hotels in Exembra was far from being met, so there was a great opportunity even in the budget market. We weren’t aiming for a quick, large-scale investment that might fail. Instead, we planned to grow steadily, gradually expanding our operations. We had acquisition plans for suitable properties and would accelerate our plans when the time was right.
With the Mutual Non-Aggression Agreement in effect, now was the time to implement such long-term plans without much interference.
Since spring, a large number of refugees from Retnark had arrived. Fortunately, the criminal organizations were focused on protecting their territories, so the deterioration of public safety was limited. The Kikyo Society had also increased the frequency of patrols to ensure the safety of our territory.
The city’s economic development had created many job opportunities, so those who were serious about finding work didn’t lack options. Most people were contributing to the city’s growth, except for a few troublemakers.
The Kikyo Society was actively helping with job placements. We wanted to support those who turned to us. For women who wanted to join the Kikyo Society, we offered apprenticeship under the same conditions as before, though few opted for this due to the demanding nature of the role.
For job placements, we introduced them to businesses within our territory or hired them if there were openings in our own operations. If these options weren’t sufficient, we provided them with the necessary equipment to start their own street vending.
In the Kikyo Society’s territory, they could set up their stalls almost anywhere as long as they didn’t cause trouble. This turned out to be quite popular. Before long, Sixth Avenue’s backstreets had become a bustling Tekiya District, attracting a steady stream of customers.
We charged a small fee, which, while minimal, added up and became a significant source of income. Collecting these fees was a task for the new apprentices, providing them with a bit of pocket money and valuable experience.
In addition to refugees, many others were drawn to the rapidly growing Exembra. Most were here for business, but there were also many with more dubious intentions.
According to our Intelligence Unit, several new families and organizations from other cities and even countries had set up bases in Exembra. Some were hardworking, but many were vicious criminal groups. There were also young groups dreaming of rising to power.
Many of the recent problems stemmed from these newcomers. Other families, like the Kikyo Society, were struggling to deal with them. The existing criminal organizations in Exembra had agreements that kept conflicts to a minimum, but the newcomers ignored these rules.
Today, I encountered one of these troublesome newcomers while taking a post-dinner walk with Valeria. We were on Lightning Street when we saw a woman being dragged into an alley.
"Onee-sama, look at that," Valeria said.
"Let’s go," I replied.
Rushing into the alley, we heard cries for help and angry shouts. We then saw a thug punch the woman and pull out a knife. Another man was loosening his belt with a lecherous grin.
The thug continued to berate the woman, oblivious to our presence. As I approached, I delivered a swift front kick to the thug. At the same time, Valeria grabbed the other man and threw him with her signature one-shoulder carry.
The thug, now on the ground, spat out a familiar line. "Ow! What the hell? You’re a woman!?"
I didn’t bother to respond. I just decided to rough him up and send him on his way. The thug, still brandishing the knife, spewed a string of vile words at me.
"Can’t you hear me, woman? I said, suck it!"
I was tired of hearing such crude language, and it didn’t get any less unpleasant no matter how many times I heard it, especially from a lowlife like him.
Feeling a wave of disgust, I instantly conjured a metal rod and struck him without a word. "Agh!"
A single blow to the neck knocked the knife from his hand. Another strike, and he was already crying for mercy. I wasn’t in the mood to listen, and I didn’t want to see him in our territory again.
"What did you just say? I thought I heard you say something to me."
"I, I’m sorry. It’s just a bad habit."
"Interesting. Watch your mouth. There won’t be a second chance. And stay away from this area. Next time, I won’t guarantee your safety."
"Hey, hey, you. How about you be my girl? I’ll show you a good time."
His words and demeanor were entirely repulsive. Without thinking, I struck him in the face with the rod. I had momentarily lost control due to the sheer revulsion.
"Valeria, how’s the other one?"
"He’s still breathing."
They didn’t seem to have anything valuable, so I decided to leave them be. I approached the woman, who was still sitting on the ground, and gently wiped the dirt from her face. I subtly applied a healing potion to her wounds.
"Are you okay? Does it hurt?"
"I, I’m fine. I was just caught off guard."
"You’re safe now. Do you recognize us?"
"Yes, you’re from the Kikyo Society, right?"
"Yes. If anything happens, come to us immediately. Can you stand? Valeria, please escort her."
"Yes, Onee-sama. What about you?"
"Our patrols need to be more frequent. I’ll take a look around before heading back."
It was unacceptable that such an incident could happen in our territory on Lightning Street. We needed to increase our patrols. Despite having patrols in the area, this could have been a well-planned crime or a random act. Either way, it was fortunate that we found her in time.
I watched as Valeria escorted the woman away, grateful that we had been there. I decided to patrol the backstreets to ensure everything was in order.
I would discuss the patrol system with the higher-ups. We needed to improve it, and we had enough personnel to do so.
As the spring passed and brought new challenges, the New Revolutionary Army of Retnark began to make significant moves. The storm was drawing near.